JEUNESSES SCIENTIFIQUES DE BELGIQUE

Their core work

Jeunesses Scientifiques de Belgique (JSB) is a Belgian nonprofit association that promotes science education and scientific culture among young people. Their flagship engagement in H2020 was hosting the 2016 European Union Contest for Young Scientists (EUCYS) in Brussels — a prestigious EU-wide competition that brings together the best student science projects from across member states. Beyond large-scale events, they also participate in science communication campaigns focused on gender diversity in research, helping make science more visible and inclusive to the next generation. Their real-world work sits at the intersection of informal science education, youth outreach, and European science culture promotion.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

JSB's early H2020 work (2015–2016) was defined entirely by event management and youth competition — hosting EUCYS2016 was a large, logistically complex national mandate. By 2021–2022, their involvement shifted toward science communication campaigns with an explicit focus on gender diversity and sustainability, joining WISENIGHT as a minor participant rather than a lead organiser. The trajectory suggests a move from large-scale event coordination toward smaller, thematic outreach activities aligned with broader European R&I values.

JSB appears to be broadening from one-off flagship events toward recurring science communication roles with a gender-equality and sustainability angle, likely positioning itself as a dissemination or outreach partner for future Horizon projects.

How they like to work

JSB has acted as both coordinator (EUCYS2016) and minor participant (WISENIGHT), showing flexibility across roles, though their coordinatorship was driven by a specific national hosting mandate rather than a general pattern of leading consortia. Their network is notably small — only 6 unique partners across 2 projects, all within a single country — suggesting they operate in tightly scoped, domestically anchored collaborations. They are best characterised as a specialist outreach partner rather than a consortium architect.

JSB has worked with just 6 consortium partners, all within Belgium, reflecting a highly localised collaboration footprint. Their network appears limited to the Belgian science communication and education community.

What sets them apart

JSB is one of the few Belgian associations with direct experience managing a pan-European youth science competition at EU institutional level, giving them credibility with DG RTD and European Science Education frameworks. For any consortium needing a Belgian science communication partner with a track record in youth engagement and gender diversity outreach, they offer an established local identity and event management experience. Their NGO status also makes them a natural fit for CSA (coordination and support action) type projects where non-commercial outreach capacity is valued.

Highlights from their portfolio

• EUCYS2016
  Largest project by far (EUR 800,000) and the only one where JSB led as coordinator — hosting the EU's premier young scientists contest in Brussels is a nationally significant mandate rarely held by an association of this size.
• WISENIGHT
  Shows JSB's pivot toward gender diversity and sustainability themes in science communication, though with a token EUR 1,500 contribution that reflects a supporting rather than driving role.